S. P. Venkatesh

S. P. VenkateshBackground informationAlso known asSangeetharajanBorn(1955-03-05)5 March 1955Bellary, Karnataka, IndiaDied3 February 2026(2026-02-03) (aged 70)Chennai, Tamil Nadu, IndiaGenreFilm scoreOccupationsFilm score composer, music director, instrumentalistInstrumentsGuitar, vocals, violinMusical artist S. P. Venkatesh (5 March 1955 – 3 February 2026), also credited as Sangeetharajan or Sangeetha Raja, was an Indian music director and composer who primarily worked in Malayalam films besides Tamil and Kannada films. He was at his prime in the late 1980s and 1990s, being reputed for his background scores and songs in Malayalam cinema. Life and career Venkatesh's father Pazhani was an accomplished mandolin player. Earlier in his life, he played guitar, banjo and mandolin, and was an assistant musical director to Shyam and Raveendran during his early days. He was introduced into the Malayalam film industry by Dennis Joseph, with his first break coming in the film Rajavinte Makan, directed by Thampi Kannanthanam. The film and the songs in it were big hits, and Venkatesh subsequently became a regular collaborator of Thampi's, resulting in a series of hit musical albums during the